Comfort
by Rain Falls So Do Dreams
Summary: She was twenty years old when her dreams crumbled to dust. She found comfort in him. ItaMiko, Uchihacest, Mikotocentric


I don't own Naruto. This as partially inspired by Long Live the Queen, which I swear is the best ItachiMikoto oneshot there is. It's written by tsubaki-hana, check it out.

---

She was twenty years old, almost twenty-one, when her dreams crumbled to dust.

She had never wanted to be tied down so soon. She always envisioned a life where she was free to go to many places, free to be with whomever she pleased, just free. Yes, she planned to eventually marry, but only after a long spell of freedom, and only to someone she loved.

"You are to marry Uchiha Fugaku." It was her mother who delievered her sentence. "It'll be a good match, and you did always say you wanted to marry."

_'But not so soon!'_ she wanted to scream, _'Not to someone I don't know, don't love!'_

---

She was twenty-one years old when she was married. The wedding took place in mid-summer, soon after her birthday.

She felt nothing when he carressed her, nothing when he spilled into her. He did everything a husband should, except for one detail: he never kissed her on her mouth. Always elsewhere. Only her hopes of leaving someday comforted her.

By fall she was pregant. All lingering hopes were dashed. So she accepted her fate, and carried his child without complaint. And she loved the child, even if she didn't love the father. Her child was her comfort now.

---

She was eight days past being twenty-two years old when he was born.

It was a relatively easy birth. After entering the world, he gave a loud piercing shriek, then fell silent as he reached his mother's arms. _'Like a weasel,'_ she thought.

His father came, and looked down upon him.

"I've always preferred the name Sasuke."

"No," she said, shocking him and herself. "No. He is Itachi. Let the next one be Sasuke."

He left, and she was alone with her son.

"Itachi," she whispered. "_My_ Itachi."

---

He was two, and she was twenty-four when he first spoke.

Unlike many children, his first word wasn't okaa-san or otou-san.

"Mikoto."

---

He was five, and she was twenty-seven when she gave birth to another.

It wasn't as easy as her first, and she felt relieved when she got the Sasuke she had promised.

She showed Itachi his little brother, asking, "What do you think?"

He looked up, onyx eyes deep. "My otouto, okaa-san. My only otouto, ever."

She found herself hoping he was right. She didn't want to go through it all again, and took comfort again from him wanting it as well.

---

He was seven, and she was twenty-nine when he graduated from the academy.

She was the only one home, and he told her first.

She took him out, promising him anything he wanted. They finally returned home late at night, finding an upset brother and an angry husband.

They both became happy when Itachi told them the news, and she was comforted. He told her first, and Fugaku wasn't upset with her.

---

When he was nine, and she was thirty-one, she told him.

"Itachi, you've always comforted me."

His serious eyes asked her, and she told him.

Telling him comforted her once again.

---

When he was twelve, and she was thirty-four, she made a discovery she didn't like.

When he spoke with her, her insides twisted, and she felt nervous, a fact she could tell when her palms grew clammy.

He was her son, and she didn't like it.

Strangely enough, it comforted her that it was him who brought this out, the first time in her life. Whatever it was, that is.

---

When he was thirteen, and she was thirty-five, she was the only one home when he came back from a mission.

She heard him come in, and go upstairs. Moments later she heard the shower.

She was starting dinner when he came out in fresh clothes.

"Sasuke is at the academy still, and your father is at the station," she informed him. She felt him nod.

"Okaa-san." At the sound of his voice, she felt her palms grow clammy, and her insides twist. She bit her lip, still not liking the reaction.

Struggling to keep calm, she asked, "Hm?" She didn't turn around.

"_Okaa-san._"

She was wet, she could feel it. _'Get a grip, Mikoto!'_ she screamed at herself, _'He's your **son**, he doesn't **mean** to sound so husky and hot and yummy and this is **not** helping!'_

She was never very sexual--just look at who she was married to--but in this moment she was positively _wet_, and she didn't want to think about what that meant.

"H-hai?" she managed to stutter out. She was frozen stiff, waiting for his reply.

"_I hate him._"

She turned, certain her face was pale and eyes wide. "Itachi?"

He stepped towards her. "I hate him," he repeated. "Otou-san, that is. Do you know why?"

He was so close. She felt her breath quicken, just slightly. She barely pushed out, "N-no."

"I hate otou-san, because." He paused.

"Y-yes?"

"He has you."

He took another step, then placed his hand on her cheek, and kissed her where Fugaku wouldn't.

_'He's your son! This is wrong!'_ the hysterical part of her screamed.

She kissed him back.

---

When he was thirteen, and she was thirty-five, he kissed her, and she kissed back.

The next night was the Uchiha Massacre.

---

_When he was thirteen, and she was thirty-five, he gave her two kisses._

_A kiss of love._

_A kiss of death._

And when Sasuke, _his otouto_, asked why, he answered.

"To see if I could."

_To see if I could kill someone I love._

_To see it I could kill someone I hate._

_**To see if I could give her back her freedom.**_

After all, he always did comfort her.


End file.
